Gov. Rick Scott is proposing a record amount of money for Florida schools. The governor’s budget proposal includes a half billion dollar increase for education. Scott unveiled the spending plan at the Capitol, pledging extra money for digital learning and small class sizes.

"In my budget, the K-12 public schools receive $18.84 billion," Scott said. "This is the highest funding level in Florida history.”

Under his administration, Scott says Florida has twice earned the nation’s top score for teacher quality – and students are thriving.“Florida's Hispanic graduation rate is the highest in the nation. Florida’s fourth grade students ranked second in the world in an international reading survey," Scott said. "We recently found out that Florida has the highest African American student achievement gain in the United States.”

House Democratic leader Perry Thurston released a statement criticizing the proposal. He said the governor cut more than a billion dollars from education his first year in office, and is now using an anticipated increase in property taxes to give money back to the schools.

Scott’s proposal is only a recommendation. The Florida Legislature will craft the budget when it convenes in March.